AI Issue 12 2017

42 Acquisition International - December 2017 Star Mountain Capital is a specialized asset management firm focused on investing in the large and underserved U.S. lower middle-market of companies with typically between $3 million and $15 million of EBITDA. We invited Brett Hickey to tell us more about how the firm came to win the coveted title of Most Outstanding Specialised Asset Management Firm - New York in our renowned 2017 Global Excellence Awards. ounded in 2010, Star Mountain’s differentiated business model includes a custom-built media and technology platform and brings proven, large market resources to smaller businesses as a value-added lender and investment partner. Brett discusses the firm’s investment focus and how this sets it apart from other asset managers in the market. “Approximately 90% of all businesses in the United States have less than $100 million in revenue, are typically owner-operated, and are not controlled by large private equity sponsors. We call these companies the ‘Growth Engine of America,’ since this niche is where most job creation and economic impact is created. Star Mountain is built to specifically address the challenges and opportunities of investing in these established smaller U.S. companies. “Additionally, there are approximately 200,000 established businesses in the United States that have between $10 million and $150 million in annual revenues. Many of these businesses are seeking value-added debt and equity investment partners to help achieve their objectives. Star Mountain’s strategy of having partners in five cities, in addition to engaging industry advisors and operating partners in more than 20 additional cities throughout the United States, provides us with ample coverage to create superior risk-adjusted financial returns for our investors, and to also create substantial positive economic impact and job creation by investing in and helping build smaller businesses.” The firm invests into private, established small and medium-sized businesses through three Company: Star Mountain Capital, LLC Contact: Brett Hickey Contact Email: Brett.Hickey@ starmountaincapital.com Address: 135 East 57th Street 25th Floor, New York, 10022, USA Phone: 001 646-787-0275 Website: www.starmountaincapital.com Scaling StarMountain to Reach Success F 1712AI93 complementary verticals providing Star Mountain with distinctive origination, underwriting and portfolio management capabilities: Direct Investments, Strategic Primary Fund Investments and Secondary Fund Investments. Brett outlines the firm’s investment focus and how it works to ensure strong returns for its investors. “Here at Star Mountain, our mission is to create superior risk-adjusted financial returns for investors and to create substantial positive economic impact and job creation by investing in and helping build smaller businesses, a mission that led us to trademark - Investing in the Growth Engine of America ® . “To help us achieve this, our distinctive platform provides enhanced origination, underwriting and portfolio management capabilities and allow us to provide investors with diversified, scalable and fee- efficient access to this large and underservedmarket where we believe superior risk-adjusted returns are available due to the market inefficiencies. Part of our value-added platform comes from our strategic investor and advisor relationships, who also provide Star Mountain with more than just capital.” Technology is creating substantial changes in the way everyone in every industry does business, “Our culture at Star Mountain is one of the most important drivers of our success. The real secret sauce of any successful organization is how its people operate, think and collaborate.”